Diseases

Poliomyelitis

An acute infectious disease of humans, particularly children, caused by any of three serotypes of human poliovirus (POLIOVIRUS). Usually the infection is limited to the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx, and is often asymptomatic. The central nervous system, primarily the spinal cord, may be affected, leading to rapidly progressive paralysis, coarse FASCICULATION and hyporeflexia. Motor neurons are primarily affected. Encephalitis may also occur. The virus replicates in the nervous system, and may cause significant neuronal loss, most notably in the spinal cord. A rare related condition, nonpoliovirus poliomyelitis, may result from infections with nonpoliovirus enteroviruses. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp764-5)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An acute infectious disease of humans, particularly children, caused by any of three serotypes of human poliovirus (POLIOVIRUS). Usually the infection is limited to the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx, and is often asymptomatic. The central nervous system, primarily the spinal cord, may be affected, leading to rapidly progressive paralysis, coarse FASCICULATION and hyporeflexia. Motor neurons are primarily affected. Encephalitis may also occur. The virus replicates in the nervous system, and may cause significant neuronal loss, most notably in the spinal cord. A rare related condition, nonpoliovirus poliomyelitis, may result from infections with nonpoliovirus enteroviruses. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp764-5)

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Synonyms

20 entry terms
  • Epidemic Acute Poliomyelitis
  • Polio
  • Poliomyelitis Infection
  • Poliomyelitis, Acute
  • Acute Poliomyelitis
  • Acute Poliomyelitis, Epidemic
  • Infection, Poliomyelitis
  • Infections, Poliomyelitis
  • Poliomyelitis Infections
  • Poliomyelitis, Epidemic Acute
  • Polios
  • Encephalitis, Polio
  • Infantile Paralysis
  • Polio Encephalitis
  • Poliomyelitis, Nonpoliovirus
  • Poliomyelitis, Preparalytic
  • Nonpoliovirus Poliomyelitis
  • Paralysis, Infantile
  • Poliomyelitides, Preparalytic
  • Preparalytic Poliomyelitis

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

36 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, transmission, urine, veterinary, virology.

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Tree Numbers

  1. C01w.207w.618w.750w
  2. C01w.925w.782.687.359.764w
  3. C10w.228w.228w.618w.750w
  4. C10w.228w.854w.525w.850w
  5. C10w.586.750w.850w
  6. C10w.668w.864w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Poliomyelitis. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D011051. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D011051
  2. Poliomyelitis. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio
  3. Poliomyelitis. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12195